Govt must fix RMA rather than pick favourites

"The Government should fix the Resource
Management Act for all rather than create sweetheart
projects of Jim Anderton's choosing," says National's
Environment spokesman Nick Smith.

He's commenting on
suggestions that Cabinet will consider a new process in the
next month, which would give Jim Anderton the ability to
by-pass the RMA for infrastructure projects the Government
deems worthy.

"A process of resource consents that has a
Minister dishing out favours is wide open to abuse and
corruption. The bureaucracy of the Resource Management Act
needs to be fixed for all businesses both large and small -
not just a select few.

"Jim Anderton's track record in
picking favourites is less than impressive - just look at
the spectacular failure of Sovereign Yachts in
Auckland.

"He promised that New Zealand would benefit to
the tune of $600 million in export earnings, while Helen
Clark said the Sovereign Yachts project is like 'a dream
come true'.

"Dr
Armstrong lost his job as allegations of a perceived
conflict of interest swirled around the Government.

"Helen
Clark's Government has a history of working with, rewarding
and protecting those who it deems are friendly. It punishes
those who it disagrees with.

"The only positive in this
announcement is the Government is at last acknowledging that
the Resource Management Act has serious problems. It also
makes a mockery of claims by Marian Hobbs that the RMA does
not need changing.

"The Government would do well to go
back and pick up the sensible RMA reforms introduced to
Parliament by Simon Upton in 1999, but rejected by Labour in
2000.

"National believes the Government should be taking
an even hand to the Resource Management Act and fixing the
process to make it easier for everyone, rather than a few
chosen favourites," says Dr Smith.

Ends

Jim Anderton's
Track Record

- The Warehouse received a $75,000 grant
from an Industry NZ fund to encourage business growth -
this is a company with sales around the $1.4 billion mark in
2002. It has since been forced to repay the money.

-
Industry NZ and Technology NZ was promised $1.6 million to
theEricsson-Synergy software joint venture which closed late
last year

- $100,000 was granted to a gaming machine
distributor to be used to monitor pokie proceeds. But the
Government ignored that the main business of the company is
to move pokie machines around the South Island.

- $67,000
was granted for the writing of several business-related
articles for a business magazine.

- Donna Awatere-Huata's
Trust received $5000 to put on a fashion show for young
designers

- Under privilege in the house, Deborah
Coddington revealed TVNZ Chairman Craig Boyce had said to
Snowy Peak (clothing manufacturer) that they should "go to
my Labour mates and ask for some handouts." Industry NZ has
given Snowy Peak six grants totaling $27,620, while Boyce
was an adviser to the company and a director Industry NZ. In
2001, Snowy Peak also received a grant of $100,000 for
business growth from Industry NZ.

- A 100 year old
clothing manufacturer in Christchurch (LWR manufacturing)
received a $100,000 business growth grant in 2002.

- EDS
received an Industry NZ grant of $1.5M to "create jobs" in a
call centre. EDS is a multi-national with an annual
turnover of around US$22M. The Ministry of Economic
development officials opposed the grant saying "MED does not
consider this proposal contains a high enough level of spill
over benefits to justify funding'. The Treasury also
expressed concern.

-
Industry NZ hands out $500,000 to investigate new industrial
uses for titi (muttonbird) oil, the development of fabric
from harakeke (flax), the commercial propagation of edible
ferns, the feasibility of mussel spat catching in Whangape
Harbour, and the development of technologies supporting eel
aquaculture. (15 October
2002)

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